MARY, OUR MOTHER

MAY CROWNING

May 1st is the traditional day for the crowning of Our Lady's statue. As we gather around the image of Our Queen, standing before us in all her beauty and power, did you ever wonder why the Church has this ceremony for centuries?

Let's think about it:

1. In crowning Our Blessed Mother, we are repeating in our own small way what Almighty God did for Mary when He crowned Her as Queen of Heaven and Earth.

We know that God crowned Mary with justice. The giving of a crown is usually done in recognition of some deed or of some merit. We crown those who win victories. We crown those who have won success. In every way Mary merited great reward. Her whole life was spent in the service of God. What She said to the Archangel Gabriel, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word (St. Luke 1:38), was the theme and object of Her entire life -- the humble, loving service of the Almighty. Mary, merited recognition from Almighty God by the fact that freely and out of pure love She consented to conceive and bring forth the Redeemer of the world. In this way She gave us the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. God would recognize this obedience, this cooperation.

The crowning of Mary in Heaven proves that God does reward every good deed. Let us remember this. As the Apostle Paul said: "There is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just Judge, will give to me in that day." (II Timothy 4:8)

2. God crowned Mary with glory. The Almighty presented Mary to the entire court of Heaven, adorned as she was with all the gifts of nature and grace. Then the Lord invited all the citizens of Heaven to gather around Her throne and acclaim Her as Queen, Queen of all, Queen of the Angels and Patriarchs, Queen of Prophets and Apostles, Queen of Martyrs and Confessors, Queen of Virgins and Queen of all Saints. In every one of these groups Mary was a true Queen, and when Almighty God crowned Her, it was in recognition of this fact. So when we crown Mary Queen, we are echoing that Heavenly scene.

3. God crowned Mary with power. King Solomon placed his mother on a throne beside himself, assuring her that he would grant her every request. Christ has placed His Blessed Mother on a throne beside Himself, assuring Her of a share in His power. Jesus has power by the fact that He is God; Mary has power by the fact that She is the Mother of God. We honor Mary because God honored Her. We crown Mary because God crowned Her.

The power with which God crowned Our Lady extends to this earth, to those struggling still along the pathway to Heaven. Mary is the Mediatrix of all Graces! The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: "Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix"(CCC #969) Since Mary is the Mother of Christ, who is the Author of all grace, She is naturally the Mother of all Graces.

The Bible supports our belief that Mary is the Mediatrix of all Graces. Recall the marriage feast of Cana. Recall the important words, "The mother of Jesus was there." "Do whatever He [Jesus] tells you." (St. John 2:1; 2:5). Through Our Lady's intercession, Our Lord performed His first public miracle, changing water into wine!

Yes, Our Lady was always "there". She was there carrying Jesus in Her womb; She was there when St. John the Baptist was sanctified in the womb of St. Elizabeth; She was there in Bethlehem, in Egypt, at Nazareth; She was at the foot of the Cross; She was at the open tomb on that first Easter morning; She was on the hill at the Ascension of Our Lord; She was in the upper room at Pentecost with the Apostles. The whole story of Jesus has a golden thread running through it -- "The mother of Jesus was there." Because Our Lady shared in the life, labors, sufferings, death, triumph and glories of Christ, Her Son, She has been blessed with the task of dispensing the merits which Jesus has gained for us.

Listen to St. Germanus [576 A.D.] (Feast May 28):

"No one obtains salvation save through thee, O Most Holy. No one is saved from evil, save through thee, O Most Immaculate. No one is enriched with blessings, save through thee, O Most Chaste. No one receives the gift of grace from God's mercy, save through thee, O Most Highly Honored."

What a consolation, what an encouragement to know that we have a Queen who has received a share in the power of God Himself, power over things of sense, power over things of the spirit. As we lift up our hearts to Almighty God as we gaze on Our Lady's image and crown, let it remind us of the justice of Almighty God. Let it remind us of the glory which God will give to those who serve Him. Let it remind us of the power which God has given to His Mother for our sake!

We want You as our Queen, O Mary! We consecrate ourselves to Your Immaculate Heart and through You to Our Lord's Sacred Heart. Amen.

Three Hail Mary's in thanksgiving to Almighty God for the gifts of power, wisdom and mercy bestowed upon Our Blessed Lady.

Hail Mary, full of grace . . .

Hail Mary, full of grace . . .

Hail Mary, full of grace . . .

Deacon John

[Some parts adapted from homilies given by Rev. Arthur Tonne, O.F.M.]